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The Delights of Corregidor Island, Philippines

The beauty of islands such as Corregidor Island is that for many Filipinos or travelers in general, sampling the delights of new islands doesn’t have to be undertaken by boarding short-haul airlines. With the current economic hardships that surround us all, budget traveling is something that appeals to the majority of ardent travelers nowadays.

Aerial view of the ruins of Corrigdor Island

With over 7,107 islands in total making up the Philippines, many who travel to the multitude of islands on offer don’t have to use airlines unless they travel to the likes of Cebu, Boracay, Palawan and Davao from Manila. Admittedly, not all the islands are habitable but the eradication of having to use airlines can save people a lot of money by using alternative travel means such as ferries to access its plethora of islands.

Recently, the media has documented how airlines ruthlessly look to increase profit margins on short-haul flights because of the small profit margins. Parking4Less a UK-based company recently posted about the many different charges and extra taxations that many smaller airlines impose on their airline tickets. However, with islands like Corregidor, these variables are eliminated because of the accessibility via ferries to the island.

Corregidor is a southwestern island off Luzon, and was used as an island to fend off military attacks and enemy ships from the country’s primary seaport in Manila Bay in the early 20th century. The island, which was formerly known as Fort Mills is a product of the Spanish-colonial era when they ruled the Philippines until their independence in 1946.

We’ve already documented the best places to visit in Manila on Asia Places To See but here are two of the best attractions on the island of Corregidor:

Experience a haunted hospital

The derelict hospital on the islands draws many tourists to its grounds. The battered building is said to be haunted and locals have tapped into the idea by organizing regular tours of its grounds. The stories vary from dead nurses haunting the premises to Japanese soldiers spirits refusing to leave the island where they met their makers.

Another attraction that isn’t for the easier scared, the Lateral Tunnels of Malinta which were built by the engineers of the U.S. Army Corps. Originally used as a bunker and a storage unit it was later turned into a 1,000-bed hospital. It consists of 13 lateral tunnels each averaging approximately 160ft.